Powerhead or No Powerhead

So, I want to add co2 to my tank. I want to invest in a powerhead because i know thats one of the best ways to diffuse co2. also, the ceramic diffusers are also very interesting, it takes out the powerhead but it has it's own concenquences i.e. not having build enough pressure to actually diffuse. also i've heard that ceramic tiles don't really diffuse that much co2 as it floats to the top anyway. but the powerhead concept has it's own drawbacks as well. i read in a thread by welchrock about how a powerhead has turned his fishes ill. i don't think that a small powerhead that will pump in water will hinder fishes that much will it?

Unless you have fish that just can't deal with water currents a powerhead isn't going to cause harm to the fish. You can use one of several methods for reducing the "blast" of water from a powerhead - one of the little diffusers that come with most powerheads, used to spread out the flow, or a spray bar on the outlet, or directing the outlet along the rear tank glass, etc. I have used all three of those methods and they worked.

i went out and got a powerhead for a 10 gal. it says that the speed is 80 gallons an hour, and there is a switch to make the current even lower. i think i got a good powerhead because i plan to use this kind of set up. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/...a49a21ea9e.jpg
would this be a good way to diffuse that co2?

I think the best use of a powerhead with CO2 is to run the CO2 bubbles through the powerhead inlet, so the rotor chops them into fine bubbles and then blows them around the tank. If you modify the rotor by cutting each paddle into a couple of paddles, as Tom Barr does, you get even better chopping of the CO2 bubbles. You still get the water circulation benefits from the powerhead too.

Just to let you know that I have used the Ceramic method in the glass diffuser. I had the perfect amounts of CO2 in my water. The trick is to put it nearest the substrate as posible to allow the miniscule bubbles more time in the water to diffuse.

Also it has been argued that the glass diffusers do not work with DIY CO2...but it has with me and my friend with just a 2L bottle. Also many others have had great success too as found out in one of my threads! The only problem with this is that you will have to clean the diffuser more often than you would with pure canister CO2. Are you using DIY CO2 or CO2 from a cannister?

Just a little help if you decide to return your powerhead and use a diffuser!

Just to let you know that I have used the Ceramic method in the glass diffuser. I had the perfect amounts of CO2 in my water. The trick is to put it nearest the substrate as posible to allow the miniscule bubbles more time in the water to diffuse.

Also it has been argued that the glass diffusers do not work with DIY CO2...but it has with me and my friend with just a 2L bottle. Also many others have had great success too as found out in one of my threads! The only problem with this is that you will have to clean the diffuser more often than you would with pure canister CO2. Are you using DIY CO2 or CO2 from a cannister?

Just a little help if you decide to return your powerhead and use a diffuser!

+1 to this.

The reason some people think it won't work with DIY Co2 and claim it's from the lack of constant pressure is because some of the ceramic tiles are clogged by ceramic [and normal] dust and what not.

This happened to me with one I purchased, i couldn't even blow through the thing a smidge!

So I let it soak over night in a very VERY mild solution of bleach water, then I let it soak for another day in a half water half water clarifier.. thing, i forget the name, and bam, it worked like a charm .

Some people just get unlucky and blame it on the source of CO2 rather then the chance that their tile is clogged .

I think the best use of a powerhead with CO2 is to run the CO2 bubbles through the powerhead inlet, so the rotor chops them into fine bubbles and then blows them around the tank. If you modify the rotor by cutting each paddle into a couple of paddles, as Tom Barr does, you get even better chopping of the CO2 bubbles. You still get the water circulation benefits from the powerhead too.

I think the best use of a powerhead with CO2 is to run the CO2 bubbles through the powerhead inlet, so the rotor chops them into fine bubbles and then blows them around the tank. If you modify the rotor by cutting each paddle into a couple of paddles, as Tom Barr does, you get even better chopping of the CO2 bubbles. You still get the water circulation benefits from the powerhead too.

Not very much. I drilled holes in the paddles of a couple of powerhead rotors, and didn't see a visible reduction in flow. This kind of pump just swirls the water so centrifugal force slings it out the outlet port. Nothing has to fit closely to make this work well. A lot of the "needlewheel" modifications to powerheads leave you with what would appear to be a non-functional rotor, but they still pump water.

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